Former Hudson chief confronts 'new normal'

Sunday

Jul 27, 2014 at 9:54 PM

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

BOSTON — Resting in his bed at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, retired Hudson Police Chief Richard A. Braga tries to hold back emotion. He knows his life is forever changed after losing the lower half of his left leg in an accident last month on a Vermont road.

But the 57-year-old knows he can still hold his wife and watch his daughter go off to college. His friend and fellow retired Police Chief Joseph J. Rebello lost his life in that same accident, and all the things he could have done in a retirement that began one year ago.

"By far the hardest thing for me to deal with is the loss of my friend," Mr. Braga said. "Over time I'm going to heal, but his loss is permanent to me. His family and everyone who knew him and we don't get a chance to get him back."

Mr. Braga's days are now full of meetings and therapy sessions. He has undergone several surgeries.

With a bad movie on the television, Mr. Braga sits calmly in his hospital bed. He talks a little about the June 29 accident, but holds back much. The accident remains under investigation by Vermont State Police.

The Hudson resident was with three other friends on a motorcycle ride that morning. They had all ridden up to Newport, Vt., not far from the Canadian border, via scenic Route 100 the night before.

The group was traveling on Route 14 in Woodbury, Vt., when a vehicle driven by a Vermont man crossed the center line of the highway and struck motorcycles driven by Mr. Braga and Mr. Rebello, according to Vermont State Police.

Officials pronounced Mr. Rebello, 55, of Kingston, dead at the scene. The former Shutesbury, Monson, Stow and Kingston police chief left a wife and two children.

The two men shared a passion for riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Mr. Braga had ridden them in the late 1970s and started his "second childhood" in 2010. He bought a new Harley in 2013.

It was this new bike that was hit in the accident. After the impact, Mr. Braga was thrown into nearby woods. He estimated he was about 40 to 50 feet away and couldn't see the accident scene. Mr. Braga believes he was lucky to have landed in a cluster of saplings, avoiding head or spine injuries.

He tried to get up but couldn't.

Mr. Braga was flown to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt.,where he remained until the retired chief was transferred to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital on July 13. Mr. Braga said the staff at both hospitals and emergency responders were, and continue to be, tremendous.

"The first couple times I woke up in the hospital in Vermont it was almost like it was a bad dream," Mr. Braga said. "I'd looked around the room and say, 'This really happened?' I'm going to be fine. It will just be different, a new normal. It will never be what it was, but a new normal."

Mr. Braga and Mr. Rebello became friends when Mr. Rebello took over as police chief in Stow. When Mr. Braga retired a little more than two years ago, Mr. Rebello served as master of ceremonies at the retirement party. Roughly a year later, Mr. Braga took over the same role when Mr. Rebello finished his career.

"This whole thing is still pretty emotional to me," Mr. Braga said. "I've had two good years of retirement. I've enjoyed myself and got things done around the house."

He fought back tears as best he could when asked about how his wife Zelia and 17-year-old daughter Courtney are handling the accident. There is no timetable for Mr. Braga's return home. In the meantime, friends and family have done all they can to help while he recovers.

The Hudson Police Department posted messages on its Facebook page informing people about the accident. Police Chief David A. Stephens asked people keep Mr. Rebello's family in their prayers, according to a post on Facebook.

The Hudson Police Association created a fund to help Mr. Braga with his recovery efforts.